The soldiers apparently shot up a van when they shouldn't have done. It looks like the Labour government took its policy on double jeopardy from the Russians though - three attempts to get a guilty verdict!!

This case (case of captain Eduard Ulman) is well known in Russia. 5 years ago 6 GRU Spetsnaz (military intelligence) operatives were sent to remote corner of Chechnya in attempt to kill, capture or gather any information about future planner of Beslan Shamil Basayev. The soldiers tried to stop a van and killed a man during it. The driver and 4 passengers (including pregnant woman) were detained. Captain Ulman received an order to kill wittnesses and in cold blood he did it. Later he argued that as an officer of secret service he had to obey any order. So during previous 2 trials he was aqquitted by jurymen.

Now whereabout of Eduard Ulman (and two others) is unknown. There are allegations that they were killed (kidnapped) by Chechens.

This case (case of captain Eduard Ulman) is well known in Russia. 5 years ago 6 GRU Spetsnaz (military intelligence) operatives were sent to remote corner of Chechnya in attempt to kill, capture or gather any information about future planner of Beslan Shamil Basayev. The soldiers tried to stop a van and killed a man during it. The driver and 4 passengers (including pregnant woman) were detained. Captain Ulman received an order to kill wittnesses and in cold blood he did it. Later he argued that as an officer of secret service he had to obey any order. So during previous 2 trials he was aqquitted by jurymen.

Now whereabout of Eduard Ulman (and two others) is unknown. There are allegations that they were killed (kidnapped) by Chechens.

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The "I was only obeying orders" defense has'nt worked since Nuremberg.

The "I was only obeying orders" defense has'nt worked since Nuremberg.

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Except that in this case it did work with two previous jury's until finally overturned by a higher court. And now the OIC has disapeared. Quite likely in a safe house being protected by his superiors no doubt.
Notice the guys that gave the orders aren't in the defense box either.

The "I was only obeying orders" defense has'nt worked since Nuremberg.

Click to expand...

Except that in this case it did work with two previous jury's until finally overturned by a higher court. And now the OIC has disapeared. Quite likely in a safe house being protected by his superiors no doubt.
Notice the guys that gave the orders aren't in the defense box either.